Unfolding
by Stephane Richer
Summary: The reactions to Momoi and Wakamatsu's new relationship are varied, to say the least.


Unfolding

Disclaimer: Don't own

Author's Note: Sequel to "Fonder and Fonder"

* * *

Susa Yoshinori has been letting himself into Wakamatsu Kousuke's house since they were little kids, and vice versa. When one of them needed to find the other to come and play basketball or soccer or tennis, there was really no _time_ to waste with ringing the doorbell, especially when they lived in such a safe neighborhood no one would lock the door when someone was in the house. It was totally fine with both of their parents, and they've both just continued doing it even as Susa is a first-year in college and Wakamatsu a third-year in high school. Sometimes they need to talk to each other; sometimes Susa is out of milk so he'll steal some from Wakamatsu; sometimes Susa will come home to find Wakamatsu on his couch, watching TV and talking animatedly with Wakamatsu's father.

Still, nothing really could prepare Susa for the sight he finds this New Year's. He wouldn't be coming this early, because he's pretty sure Wakamatsu will yell at him until he helps clean up, but he definitely left his phone on Wakamatsu's kitchen counter last night at the party. He opens the door quietly (maybe he can sneak in without Wakamatsu noticing) and tiptoes through the living room, being careful not to step on any empty beer cans or spilled food on the floor. Well, he tries to, but he hears Wakamatsu's snores, which is weird because Wakamatsu has no reason to sleep in the living room (he's the type of guy who will kick anyone out of his bed regardless of how wasted and tired he is, and then yell at them until they wash and change his sheets). But lo and behold, there he is, asleep on the couch.

With Momoi Satsuki in his arms.

The only words Susa can think right now are what, the, and fuck, because seriously, what the fuck? When did they get together? And why? And how? And it doesn't look like they actually hooked up or did anything last night (although Susa knows all about Wakamatsu's lack of experience with girls, so that might have factored into why they didn't) plus if they did they'd probably be in his bedroom anyway, and why is he staring? They're going to wake up and see him!

Of course, in his haste, he drops his phone and trips over an empty plastic champagne flute, which wakes both of them and Wakamatsu yells at Susa for about ten minutes about not being careless with his possessions and not coming into other people's houses at weird hours (but, really, 9:30 AM is not a weird hour) and how he has to help clean up this goddamn mess.

Still, when there's three of them it takes a lot less time to clean up everything, and the conversation is good. Susa's wishing he actually took more time to get to know Momoi last year, because she's very funny and gregarious (although she knows way too much about everything, which is more than a little creepy if you ask him) and he stops questioning Wakamatsu's attraction to her because it's very self-evident. These two are never going to run out of things to talk about.

Still, after he's gotten home and made himself a cup of coffee, he realizes he still doesn't know the whole story so he texts Wakamatsu, "What's the deal with you two?"

* * *

It's really not like Satsuki not to answer her phone at this hour. Or at any hour, really (does that girl ever sleep?) but that's beside the point. Aomine Daiki sighs. For once, he's being the one who's trying to arrange a meet-up, and where does that get him? Absolutely fuckin' nowhere.

He'd rung in the New Year sleeping, as usual. What's the use of staying up? It's not like the world is going to end at the stroke of midnight or anything. Satsuki had probably gone to some party or other. She'd been to one last year…Wakamatsu's? Maybe it had been someone else. Aomine doesn't really care.

But, still, usually she's the one rounding them all up to go somewhere but when he woke up that morning to no texts at all, he took it on himself to invite Tetsu and Kise and Sakurai and a few other people. He'd gotten answers from everyone except her, which was the oddest thing of all. She usually answers her texts like lightning.

Should he call her? Yeah. Something might be wrong. Or her phone might be dead. Crazy shit happens at parties, and her phone could have easily been dropped and stepped on. Or she might be hung over (but people like her don't get hung over, do they? On the other hand, that might be poetic justice for all the shit she gives him about sleeping too much).

* * *

They finally finish cleaning, Susa finally leaves, and Momoi exhales. Not that she doesn't like the guy. But still, there's just a bit of awkward tension in the air, though it's not as much as it could be. Besides, Wakamatsu is like the anti-tension. Whenever there is any, he smashes it with a hammer.

"Do you want to date me?" he asks bluntly. They're looking at the assortment of leftover drinks on the table. It's mostly diet soda, with a few beers and waters, and several half-empty bottles of liquor.

It's all so sudden, but not really, because she can't deny that's the only thing that's been on her mind today (and yesterday, too, come to think of it). It's not the most romantic of proposals, but then life is not a shoujo manga so it'll have to do. Besides, it's the guy who really matters, not the way he asks you out. "Yes!" she squeals, and jumps into his arms.

He tenses up a little. He really has no experience, and he's in no way prepared for how to do any of this. But he figures she'll tell him what he's doing wrong, and right now hugging her back seems to be the right thing and it does feel damn good to have her, so much smaller than him, in his arms.

Just then, her phone rings, breaking the moment. She seems a bit irate as she picks it up. "Hello? Yes, Aomine-kun?"

His phone buzzes, too, but it's just a text message. Typical nosy Susa, wondering what's going on between him and Momoi. He starts typing out a long message in reply, explaining last night and this morning and soon he's reached the character limit. Fuck. Oh, well, he can send two messages; he's pretty sure Susa has unlimited texting.

When he looks up, she's done with her conversation. "Do you want to come to the shrine with me? I'm meeting Aomine-kun and some others there."

What others? Their middle school friends? It had better not be those damn miracle kids. They all get on Wakamatsu's nerves. "That'd be our first date!" he blurts out.

Her eyes light up. She hadn't even thought of that yet.

Oh, well. There's got to be some nice deserted corner of the shrine where they can just be together, right?

* * *

Of course, that damn Susa had been loitering around when they'd left so he tagged along so they couldn't even get some alone time on the bus together. Wakamatsu yells at him, but he's developed the ability to tune it out by now so it really doesn't do any good.

They arrive at the shrine at last, and of course Momoi's group of friends are impossible to miss. Fucking rainbow hair. Aomine doesn't look too pleased to see Wakamatsu and Susa, either.

"What the hell, Satsuki? First Tetsu brings that idiot, and now you bring two of 'em?"

"Watch your mouth, brat!" Wakamatsu shouts. "You think I wanted this guy around third-wheeling it?"

Susa only looks mildly insulted.

"Third-wheeling it? What the hell do you mean by that?"

"What Wakamatsu-sempai means—" Momoi starts.

"Don't be so formal!" Wakamatsu interjects. "We're going out, so we should be more familiar with one another, right? Isn't that how it goes?"

She blushes and rolls her eyes. "Fine, Wakamatsu-kun—"

Aomine has just registered Wakamatsu's words. "Hang on a sec, you two can't date!"

"I said, YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH, BRAT!" Wakamatsu punches Aomine in the face and he stumbles backward into one of his friends. Oh, well.

Momoi sighs. "Can you please not be so violent? We'll get kicked out."

"And that would be a shame if we had to do that."

Well, what do you know. So, so, SO fucking typical. Wakamatsu turns around and, yeah, there's Imayoshi. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Imayoshi just smiles that creepy-motherfucker smile. "My family owns this shrine. I'm on break right now, but…" he shrugs, still smiling. He doesn't need to finish the sentence, because they all know how it ends already. "Oh, and congratulations!" He nods to the couple. "I'm sure your relationship will be…dynamic."

And with that, he's gone, vanishing back into the crowd.

Aomine's still rubbing his head. Great, just great. Why the hell did the two biggest annoyances in his life decide to join forces?

* * *

Wakamatsu's gone off to use the restroom, and Momoi's sitting on a bench outside. It's quite warm for early January, so she loosens her scarf as Kise sits down beside her.

"So, you finally gave up on Kurokocchi?"

She nods. "I mean, it's hopeless. I can't carry on like this if he's never going to return my feelings. And I need a guy who's going to say as much as I do, you know?"

"He seems like a good guy," Kise says. "But, if you're having any trouble, please let me know."

Wakamatsu's exited the restroom by this time, and is walking over to the bench. Momoi stands up eagerly, and he places an arm over her shoulders. He's so much bigger than her, but he's treating her carefully. They really look adorable right now, and Kise can't help but smile.

* * *

The group has split up, and it's probably for the better. Kise has dragged Aomine and Kuroko off with him; Takao and Midorima are hanging out with Susa and Sakurai; Momoi and Wakamatsu are left alone. Finally.

It feels so _great_—okay, they've been dating for less than a day, but still. She's liked him for a while now and being with him is, so far, as good as she'd imagined it to be. His hands are warm and big and solid, and he seems really happy to be with her, too. Even their conversation just feels different. It's like something out of a manga.

"Wakamatsu-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"I really do like you."

His smile when she says that, that's better than she imagined.


End file.
